Gluten-free diets have dominated the news and diet field recently, so it’s a little bit surprising that more isn’t being said about gluten intolerance. The main reason to even consider going on a gluten-free diet is that so many people have some degree of gluten allergy. In fact, millions of people have mild gluten intolerance without even knowing it. In many cases the symptoms are only mildly annoying, and therefore not easy to tie to gluten as a source.
So what’s this about Celiac Disease?
Celiac Disease is the official name given to a person who is actually allergic to gluten as opposed to simply intolerant to it. In some people this is extremely severe and for those individuals it’s recommended to stay away from gluten completely while for other people the symptoms are minor, but at the same time it’s still important to recognize the symptoms as this can progressively get worse over time. Getting advice from a physician about Celiac Disease is definitely the smart move to get pointed in the right direction as far as management of the condition.
What are the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance?
Nailing down an exact list of symptoms for gluten intolerance can be extremely difficult in part because it’s going to affect each person differently. However, some common gluten intolerance symptoms that are common to see among many people include:
- Constant and chronic fatigue, even after meals
- General weakness from muscle and joint pain
- Irritability in the stomach and digestive tract
- Gas
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Allergies (in that gluten intolerant individuals with Celiac Disease are much more susceptible to having other allergies as well)
How many people are intolerant to gluten?
Many more people are intolerant to gluten than the average person would think. Actual Celiac’s Disease is estimated to affect as high as 4-5% of the total population, and estimates have even more people than that who are to some extent intolerant of gluten and exhibit some gluten intolerance symptoms after ingesting large amounts. This is a wide spread condition; the combined number of people with Celiac’s Disease or gluten intolerance most likely well above 10%.
So how do we treat it?
Advanced Celiac’s Disease requires a doctor’s orders and assistance, but the obvious answer to dealing with gluten intolerance is to reduce your intake as much as possible or even eliminate it completely. There are many natural vitamins, supplements, and gluten-free foods which allow people displaying symptoms of gluten intolerance to take control and live a healthy and energetic life.